𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘

CHAPTER 1

In every life comes the opportunity to choose. What you are choosing and why is custom to each person, to each circumstance, to each life. You are burdened with the decision of choosing who it is you want to be.

What do you want?
What do you stand for?
Who do you serve?

Choose.

PART ONE
Death by Inheritance

✩ ✩ ✩

An unwelcome breeze blew through stray strands of white, brushing past the tawny colored cheeks peppered brown of a girl who stood bowed. A respective gesture for someone who wanted it, needed it.

And it was a man who stood twice as tall as his inferior did he demand it. Standing in front of her, he held his arms behind his back, looking as if he didn't have any with the way his charcoal suit blended with the dark, and let his eyes of spring do the talking.

But his tongue, like that of a snake, did the threatening.

"You've never known failure, my child," his words rolled off his tongue like poison, daring his words to be anything less than the truth. "So, should you fail now may you expect the greatest punishment of your existence." Despite his words, his voice was deep yet smooth, matching the silkiness of his sepia complexion and wrinkleless suit.

Lifting her head, her white hair fell against her frame, no longer hiding her features. When she straightened, she wiped droplets of blood from her lip before crossing her arms behind her back. "I will never fail you," she paused to open her eyes, revealing two different colors; one to match the man who stood before her. "I will succeed for the cause, father."

Malice spilled from the corners of her father's lips, revealing pointy teeth and swirling his green eyes with craze. Removing a hand from behind his back, he rested it on her shoulder. The sleeve was tattered in crimson, but the girl didn't acknowledge her blood on his clothes. "The exploitation of UA, the destruction of the hero society, and the rise of villains..." he leaned in close, close enough to where she could feel his breath on her face, "...all rests on your shoulders, little one."

Gaze flattening against him, she was unfazed by the pressure bestowed upon her shoulders. She spent sixteen years training for this. But before she could open her mouth to reassure her father, the door behind him creaked open and a woman with snow-white skin and glowing pink eyes emerged from the shadows. Though it was hard to see, it was apparent that her arms were crossed, and an ugly look of disgust contorted her face.

"Kai." She hissed, getting the girl's attention. "Get moving."

✩ ✩ ✩

Present Day

Kai walked without a hurry. Her expression was blank and her eyes looked lifeless. Her backpack was strewn over one shoulder, unzipped, and casually hanging sideways. Feeling the need to yawn, she allowed her left hand to meet her face, covering her mouth as she did so.

In the presence of those who were not her own people, she cared none for how she portrayed herself. Besides, the entrance exams left her exhausted. No point in hiding it when that was how she truly felt. 

After walking for some time, large blue pillars and golden letters that read "UA" came into view. She hunched her shoulders a bit and furrowed her eyebrows. The freckles that lay on her nose crinkled together as she scrunched her nose in disgust. The extravagance of the school and overall ambience wasn't her style. And the thought of having to see it every damn day had her contemplate plucking out her eyes.